Friday, September 19, 2008

Anti-Christian Bias Continues

The media, academia, the entertainment industry, and the Left in general are guided by the principle of “tolerance” or so they would have you believe. However, their “tolerance” is very selective. They “tolerate” only those who think like they do, and anybody outside of that mindset is ridiculed and denigrated.

These “tolerant” folks are especially vicious when it comes to conservative “right wing” Christians. Recently the Washington Post website ran a political cartoon by cartoonist Pat Oliphant that ridiculed Pentecostals under the assumption that Gov. Palin is one (which I don’t believe she is). If someone ran a similar cartoon ridiculing a politically correct group, they would be vilified by the self-righteous hypocrites on the Left. The hypocrisy of the Left is truly astounding. Anybody whom they even suspect of insulting an African-American is called a racist. Anybody who might say something negative against homosexual behavior is belittled as a homophobe. Anybody who leans to the Right is ignorant and easily led. Small town Americans cling to their guns and their religion.

We as Christians shouldn’t be surprised. God’s people have had to endure a lot worse throughout history. The Jews have been hated by the world for thousands of years because they are followers of the One True God. Unfortunately they have occasionally fallen victim to misguided Christians. Followers of Jesus Christ have endured persecution and hardship off and on during Christianity’s 2,000 year history. The 20th century was one of the worst. While there are many explanations why Muslims hate us, probably the major reason is that we in the West are considered Christian in their eyes.

Jesus told his disciples in John 16:33b: “In the world you face persecution.” Jesus also said to his disciples in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world — therefore the world hates you.”

What, then, are we as Christians to do in the face of ridicule, bias, and abuse? First of all, we should pray for those who are against us, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:44: “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Second, understand that this is a spiritual battle, as the Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12: For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Third, don’t hesitate to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ, as we read in 1 Peter 3:15a: Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

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